Someday, Somehow
by imlivingproof
Summary: Kendall and his best friend, Radley, spend his last night in New York on the rooftop reminiscing. Rated M for smoking and alcohol use.


The boy sat there with an unlit cigarette in his hand. Next to him was his best friend, the both of them sitting on the rooftop of her apartment building, overlooking the 11:00PM New York City skyline, with his pack of cigarettes and her 6-pack of Smirnoff Ice. Wearing his flannel, she was in the midst of opening bottles for the both of them when she saw him staring at her. She smiled. He smiled back.

"You know," he started. "One day, you will be mine, Radley." He said it with confidence, knowing that the two would be in a relationship, one way or another. The 21-year-old rolled the cigarette in between his fingers. "You will be the person I marry, I guarantee it."

"And what makes you think that, Kendall?" she replied with a raised eyebrow. She pulled out the lighter from her back pocket and handed it to Kendall. He took it and brought the cigarette to his mouth and lit it, taking in a drag.

"Because," he said with a shrug. "Just because. I can feel it." _Because, who could replace what we have?_ He thought._ No one else can live up to what you've done for me and what we've done together._

"I have a boyfriend, Kendall." _A shit boyfriend, though_, she thought. _You would definitely be a better one..._

"Rule out that factor," he continued.

"You go back to California tomorrow," she said with a frown. _You're leaving me yet again_, she thought. _Fuck you and your successful career. I should've taken that chance and gone to college in LA. I could've been right there with you. Why did NYU have to offer me a better scholarship than USC?_

Kendall took in a long drag of his cigarette for a good ten seconds, and kept it in for at least another five seconds before exhaling it. "Wish you were coming with," he said. "That _is_ where we met and I do think you belong out there. Would be awesome to be there together. It's been awhile since the last time we were in California at the same time."

They both remembered the first and last time. Radley had family that used to live in Southern California. She had visited twice before, but she was 16-years-old when she met Kendall for the first time. He was at the Santa Monica pier, and so was she. They were both alone. She snuck away from her family for the day to adventure alone, and he was doing the same.

"You were the only one with a beanie on in the middle of summer," he said with a laugh, remembering when he first met her. "I think you were the first girl I've ever met who longboarded."

"If I recall correctly," Radley began. "You, too, had a beanie on in the middle of summer." She shook her head and laughed. "I feel like it's appropriate to always wear a beanie in SoCal, though." She missed the weather in Southern California after thinking about it. "If you had never face-planted while longboarding, I don't think I would've noticed you." She looked over at him and noticed him scowling, while he remembered face-planting in front of her. "Hey, don't think less of yourself because you face-planted in front of a girl. We wouldn't have met if it weren't for that."

_It wasn't in front of any girl, it was in front of you_, he thought. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Thanks for the band-aid." He laughed. They weren't expecting to become so close after that moment. The now-21-year-olds were closer than ever. He took another drag out of his cigarette. He then offered it to her and she agreed, taking the cigarette between her fingers and taking a drag. "When was the last time you were in California?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Over the summer with a few friends, but I just missed you, remember? Your shows in SoCal were right before I got there. We did meet up in Vegas, though." She leaned back and lied down on the rooftop. After taking another drag out of Kendall's cigarette, she handed it back to him. "Last time I saw you in California was probably a year ago when I stayed at your place." She paused to think about it, not really remember when it was. "Yeah, it was a little over a year ago."

"Damn," he replied. He grabbed one of the Smirnoff Ice bottles and took a sip out of it before lying down next to her. "I wish your family didn't move out of Cali." They weren't even aware that the last time Radley visited California to visit her family was the last summer they lived there. The news was brought up about 2 months after she left.

"I wish they didn't, either," she said. "You're the only reason why I'd visit California now. I'm not saying that in a bad way. If they were a reason, as well, I would've had a place to crash. Hotels are expensive if I visit with a friend. It's not even fair. I may have a scholarship, but it's not a full one. I still have a shitload of money to pay for college. Don't even offer to pay for hotel because I won't let you."

"You could not go with a friend, and you could stay at my house again," Kendall suggested.

"Well, thank you for offering," she replied. "But plane tickets are still expensive... I'll save up for a plane ticket and visit you soon, okay?"

"Sounds like a plan," he said. He finished off his cigarette and threw the end, not caring where it landed. "I need more nights like this with you. I just need you around more often, to have someone to talk to about anything and everything. The phone calls and video chats just aren't cutting it anymore." He sat up and crossed his legs. "Distance is really fucking annoying."_ We aren't even together and the distance is already killing me_.

_And now you know why I won't say yes to being your girlfriend_, she thought._ I hate being so far away from you._ _Long distance would just be asking for a heartbreak... _"I couldn't agree more," she said. "Distance can suck it. They should take California and move it next to New York."

"I wish that were possible." He pulled out another cigarette almost instantly after finishing his first Ice. Radley was barely halfway done with her first Ice of the night. Lighting it, the blonde took another long drag. She sat up as well and leaned against him. His arm draped around her shoulder, as if it belonged there.

Radley knew she was meant to be with Kendall. She did have a boyfriend at the moment, but she knew that wouldn't last. She was going to be with Kendall one way or another, agreeing with what he was saying before. She didn't have a clue as to when or how it was going to happen, but it was going to happen. After downing the rest of her first Ice, she snatched the cigarette out of his hand without warning and took a drag of it.

"Might as well keep it," he said. He pulled out his pack, took out another one and lit it for himself. "I love you, Radley. You know that, right?"

"I know," she replied with a smile. "I love you, too, Kendall. I wish things weren't so complicated right now. We aren't meant to be just friends..."

He sighed, looking down. She was right. They weren't meant to be just friends, and they practically already together. However, the timing and situation wasn't right and it was preventing them changing that. "I know," he said as he took in another drag. "That'll change soon enough. Someday, somehow." He looked up and turned his head towards her. She was looking up at him, and at that moment, he took the chance and kissed her.

The taste of cigarettes and alcohol were evident, but there was no hesitation and no pulling back. The two seemed to neglect the fact that she had a boyfriend, because anything and everything felt so right.

After pulling back, she rested her head on his shoulder and his arm was still around her shoulder. The two sat in a comfortable silence, enjoying the last night they had together before he would be heading back home. After a few minutes of silence, Kendall shifted and grabbed two more Smirnoff Ice bottles. He popped the tops off of both of them and handed one to Radley. He lifted the bottle up, commencing a toast.

"Here's to us," he said. "Best friends and future lovers."

"To us," she said while lifting her bottle up, as well.

The two hit their bottles together, and the rest of the night was spent on that rooftop.


End file.
